quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:

White Stripes - Get Behind Me, Satan (an excellent rock album, but for the Stripes its just "good")

I think Get Behind Me Satan is better than most people gave it credit for. I chalk it up to the fact that there was no "Fell in Love With a Girl" or "Seven Nation Army" on the album. But, it was nice to see them make an album that was paced differently that their previous outings and experimented with some different sounds. I didn't (and still don't) really like the lead single "Blue Orchid", but the rest of the album is as good as anything else they've done. As I said previously, it's probably one of the few '05 releases I still feel compelled to pick up on a regular basis.

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Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:

White Stripes - Get Behind Me, Satan (an excellent rock album, but for the Stripes its just "good")

I think Get Behind Me Satan is better than most people gave it credit for. I chalk it up to the fact that there was no "Fell in Love With a Girl" or "Seven Nation Army" on the album. But, it was nice to see them make an album that was paced differently that their previous outings and experimented with some different sounds. I didn't (and still don't) really like the lead single "Blue Orchid", but the rest of the album is as good as anything else they've done. As I said previously, it's probably one of the few '05 releases I still feel compelled to pick up on a regular basis.

I agree. "Blue Orchid" is my least favorite as well. I tend to dislike songs where a male vocalist sings entirely in an uncomfortably high register. I'll make an exception for YLT's "Mr. Tough" though. I feel that GBMS just gets better as the album progresses.

Everyone got used to these raw-dog, blues rockers that Jack White was doing with these killer riffs and interesting guitar sounds and strange production quirks, and then he goes all weird and folky and non-guitar based on us.

It was a weird transition, to say the least. It's obviously an extremely accomplished record, just not one that grabbed me for more than a week or two.

My favorite song from that record, by the way is not the two main rockers ("Blue Orchid" and "Red Rain") like you may think. Its "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)." Very moving song about what is quite possibly a serious contemplation of suicide.

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
Everyone got used to these raw-dog, blues rockers that Jack White was doing with these killer riffs and interesting guitar sounds and strange production quirks, and then he goes all weird and folky and non-guitar based on us.

True, it is a jarring transition, especially considering the first four Stripes albums are very similiar stylistically, they just have increasingly better production. I think Jack White would've caught more flack had he continued to make the same album over and over again. I admire him for not not playing it safe and saying, "Fuck it. I'm breaking out the marimba."

Amen to that.

But you can tell he's still getting his marimba legs, if you catch my drift.

And I think you do.

That's why I didn't think much of "Get Behind." It felt like a transitional record.

My 2005 final list:

1. British Sea Power: Open Season
2. Richard Hawley: Cole’s Corner
3. Hard-Fi: Stars of CCTV
4. The Ordinary Boys: Brassbound
5. Josh Rouse: Nashville
6. The Pernice Brothers: Discover a Lovelier You
7. Greg Dulli: Amber Headlights
8. The Orange Peels: Circling the Sun
9. Youth Group: Skeleton Jar
10. The Magic Numbers: The Magic Numbers
11. Clem Snide: The End of Love
12. Bloc Party: Silent Alarm/Remixed
13. Richmond Fontaine: The Fitzgerald
14. Mike Doughty: Haughty Melodic
15. Adam Richman: Patience and Science
16. Kaiser Chiefs: Employment
17. Brendan Benson: The Alternative to Love
18. Shout Out Louds: Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
19. Halloween Alaska: Too Tall To Care
20. Sun Kil Moon: Tiny Cities

I'm not too critical on my list, although in retrospect, the record from 2005 I've listened to most in 2006 was Separation Sunday, which deserved a top 10 slot. I'd probably drop Hard-Fi and the Orange Peels a few slots, but I still enjoy both of them alot.

Its SO like you, Eric, to put Brendan Benson on your top 20. You're our designated "good pop" guy.

I was REALLY, REALLY big on about 3 or 4 songs on that record when I first heard it ("Spit it Out," "Cold Hands, Warm Heart," etc.), but repeated listens showed to me that most of it was just okay.

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
Its SO like you, Eric, to put Brendan Benson on your top 20. You're our designated "good pop" guy.

I was REALLY, REALLY big on about 3 or 4 songs on that record when I first heard it ("Spit it Out," "Cold Hands, Warm Heart," etc.), but repeated listens showed to me that most of it was just okay.

I really didn't dig the Raconteurs record. I like Brendan, but I don't like Jack White. The best Brendan Benson record of 2006 is the self-titled record by Ben Kweller, which is great pure pop.

pE-- British Sea Power don't seem extremely derivative and unoriginal to you?

Like... wtf? I honestly want to hear why you think its so good to warrant a #1.

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Originally posted by Yay!:
pE-- British Sea Power don't seem extremely derivative and unoriginal to you?

Like... wtf? I honestly want to hear why you think its so good to warrant a #1.

I can't speak for pE, but he seems capable of recognizing something as derivative and still deriving enjoyment from it. I don't think that's so bad.

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Originally posted by m.leland:

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
pE-- British Sea Power don't seem extremely derivative and unoriginal to you?

Like... wtf? I honestly want to hear why you think its so good to warrant a #1.

I can't speak for pE, but he seems capable of recognizing something as derivative and still deriving enjoyment from it. I don't think that's so bad.

Yeah, even though I'm personally not too keen on British Sea Power, I don't necessarily think something has too be original to be good. There have been a lot of albums I've enjoyed that aren't exactly breaking new ground.

Hey Yay, some of us would be interested in hearing why you think that System of a Down album is so good...wtf?

1. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
2. New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
3. Iron & Wine - Woman King/In the Reins EPs
4. Broken Social Scene - S/T
5. Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers
6. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
7. Tiger Bear Wolf - S/T
8. Edan - Beauty & the Beat
9. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
10. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
11. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
12. Archer Prewitt - Wilderness
13. Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
14. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
15. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Matt Sweeney - Superwolf
16. Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
17. Serena Maneesh - S/T
18. Decemberists - Picaresque
19. My Morning Jacket - Z
20. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - S/T

That's last year...so, in retrospect, here's my 2005 list - revised:

1. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
2. Kanye West - Late Registration*
3. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
4. Iron & Wine - Woman King/In the Reins EPs
5. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
6. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
7. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock N Roll*
8. Animal Collective - Feels*
9. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
10. Edan - Beauty & the Beat
11. Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth
12. The Clientele - Strange Geometry*
13. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - S/T
14. Deerhoof - The Runners Four
15. My Morning Jacket - Z
16. Serena-Maneesh - Serena-Maneesh
17. The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree*
18. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday*
19. Broken Social Scene - S/T
20. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm*

Yeah, not too much difference - but definitely noticeable.

quote:

Originally posted by Grunge Muffin:
2. Kanye West - Late Registration*

I like that you have this so high, it is number 5 on my list. Even though a lot of people here either ignore or deny rap music, everyone should have this album in their top ten. It is simply rap at its finest. There are not many artists or bands that are as consistently brilliant as Kanye West—and that is in ALL of music—not just rap. Everything he does—whether producing most of Common's Be, guest MCing on albums by Lupe Fiasco and John Legend or producing single tracks like Talib Kweli's rap classic, "Get By"—is utterly excellent.

quote:

I like that you have this so high, it is number 5 on my list. Even though a lot of people here either ignore or deny rap music, everyone should have this album in their top ten. It is simply rap at its finest. There are not many artists or bands that are as consistently brilliant as Kanye West—and that is in ALL of music—not just rap. Everything he does—whether producing most of Common's Be, guest MCing on albums by Lupe Fiasco and John Legend or producing single tracks like Talib Kweli's rap classic, "Get By"—is utterly excellent.

Oh man, I have to disagree. I did not have Late Registration on my top ten list (and I wouldn't have it on my top 40 list), because I found it to be wildly uneven (will the 'skit' trend ever end?), bloated, disgustingly arrogant (even by rap/hip-hop standards), and just not all that engaging (which is a fatal flaw considering it's epic running time).

There were a handful of superior hip-hop albums to emerge last year, most notably Cyne's Evolution Fight, an emotionally and politically charged, catchy, and glorious throwback to old-school hip-hop. It's a tragically underappreciated album and, for me, EASILY the best hip-hop album of 2005.

I also would place Edan's Beauty and the Beat, Beanie Sigel's The B. Coming, and that Clipse Mixtape FAR ahead of Kanye's album.

I'm still shocked at how well-received it was... Better than The College Dropout?? No way!!

I also felt that he was a little overbearing on Common's Be. I could have gone for a little more Common and a little less Kanye...

There. My two cents.

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
pE-- British Sea Power don't seem extremely derivative and unoriginal to you?

Like... wtf? I honestly want to hear why you think its so good to warrant a #1.

It sounds like a lot of stuff I hold dear (Echo and the Bunnymen, etc). But I like the songs, the music, and all that, so yeah, I'm happy to give it the warrant for a #1.

I'm not the type to need my favorite records to sound like nothing I've ever heard before. I'll leave Joanna Newsom to others: it's quite original, but it ain't for me.

I'm quite happy living in my (white-boy can't dance) little box.

I'm with pE here: if it sounds good it sounds good. Who gives a crap if it's derivative or not? If you're judging music on something other than how good it sounds, then I think you're being dishonest. Of course, some people only think non-derivative and original music sounds good, and that's fine too.

I third this sentiment.

My list is just that: MY favorite records of 2005. I likes what I likes. I'm not sure why I should have to defend my choices, when all is said and done.

I'm particularly surprised that I'm expected to defend them to someone who claims not to take music criticism seriously.

I'm listening to that British Sea Power record right now as I'm typing this, taking a break from grading essays on ancient philosophy, and I'm enjoying it as much as I did last year when I made my list. Is is still my favorite from 2005? Maybe not, but it's still easily Top 5.

In no order:

Shihad - LITNH.
Fat Freddy's Drop - BOATS.
Goldenhorse - Out of the Moon.
Roisin Murphy - Ruby Blue.
White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan.
Richard Hawley - Coles Corner.

I'd probably keep most of the albums, but I would dump Roisin Murphy. Hasn't aged well at all.

I was looking for your take on how derivative music can be good. I wasn't asking for a defense. Sorry if I came off as hostile. Not my intention.

I suppose derivative music can be "good," but I don't see it so much as being "good" as it is being well-executed.

We all have our pet genres (mine is progressive rock, southern rock and epic metal, for example) that we don't mind hearing over and over again done by different people, but even with my pet genres I can acknowledge that a certain work, while made by talented people, is ultimately reductive and therefore not very "Significant," if you catch my drift.

Does a record have to be Significant to be good? No, a record can just be good, I suppose. But isn't there something to be said for gravitas?

I suppose what I'm asking pE, in a roundabout and sort of snarky way (and again I apologize for that), is if he values gravitas in his pop. Is originality and groundbreaking paramount to you?